


An Eorzean Guest

by NotJuliaChild



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Female Protagonist
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-07
Updated: 2019-10-06
Packaged: 2020-10-11 14:44:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,853
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20547893
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NotJuliaChild/pseuds/NotJuliaChild
Summary: Her memory is gone, but she knows she's not of this world. Idelle Ralia wakes up on a ship bound for Limsa Lominsa without a clue to her past. All she knows is that she is a stranger in a strange land without a friend or place in the world. Never one for thoughts of grandeur, Idelle soon finds herself becoming a member of the Adventurer's Guild in an effort to help the people who have been struggling to rebuild since an event known as the 'Calamity.' It's not long, however, before she finds herself propelled into an adventure she never could have imagined, all the while struggling to remember those forgotten to her...Join Idelle as she struggles to rediscover who she is and ascends from an unknown adventurer to one of the greatest heroes Eorzea has ever seen.





	1. A Realm Discovered

**Author's Note:**

> I am 100% new to the Final Fantasy universe. I just started playing A Realm Reborn a few days ago, and already, I'm in love. This is what came from my musings regarding my character, Idelle, and will continue throughout her adventures. I don't plan to linger on main scenes from the story but rather on my own ideas as she progresses through her adventures and her relationships with people grow stronger. I will update as I progress through the story. Tags will be added on an ongoing basis and the archive rating may or may not change depending on the direction of Idelle's story. If you are enjoying please don't hesitate to leave a comment so I will be encouraged to keep updating!
> 
> Idelle Ralia is an original character of mine from my own work--The Broken Song--. If you like what you read please drop by my page and take a peek at my novel. It is being updated every Friday at 6:00 p.m EST. Thank you so much for taking the time to read!

She couldn’t remember the moment it happened. When she tried to focus, a sharp pain overtook her senses, shooting from her eyes to the back of her skull. Her stomach twisted, her knees grew weak, and she was filled with an overwhelming sense of dread. There were no real memories to recall, no names or faces that came to mind. It was all like a hazy dream to her, one her mind refused to recall. In the end, she could only be certain of three things.

Her name was Idelle Ralia.

She was not from this world.

And, somehow, she had escaped a horrible fate.

What exactly she escaped, she could never be certain, and how she knew her name—well, that seemed to be something ingrained within her, a truth she knew with every beat of her heart. Yet, those were the only truths she knew as she stood there on the deck of the ship, watching as an unfamiliar city came into view.

Idelle studied it quietly, the gentle murmurings of the passengers fading away. Limsa Lominsa, she had heard it called. Such a strange name. Yet, the sight of it nearing was calming. The city, she knew not, but it was not so different from the cities of her world—or so her instincts told her. It was pretty, crystal blue water glittering beneath the sun. The skies were clear overhead and she could see people bustling along bridges that crisscrossed from one end of the city to the other. It seemed a thriving hub of activity. It should be a good place to get a measure of things at least. Without a clue to her past, she knew Limsa Lominsa would be the closest thing she had to a home for awhile, and she needed to find work if she hoped to eat that night or any other. So, as she bid adieu to the captain and made her way into the city, she resolved to do just that.

The first thing she noticed was that she was very tall. Idelle wasn’t the tallest by any means. There were hulking figures with broad shoulders, meaty arms and legs, and small necks that towered over her, but they were not the most populous of the peoples milling about the grand space. The average height seemed only to reach her chest and the shortest was somewhere below her knee. The people with round ears and features that varied greatly must be the equivalent of humans in this world. The smallest ones seemed shorter than the dwarves she had met and were far less stout. The great muscular ones—she could conjure no equivalent from her limited memory.

At last, she spotted a pair of pointed ears. She was of similar stature to the male walking by, though her ears were a little smaller, her eyes violet instead of blue, and her hair was stark white to his brown. Still, seeing him made her feel a little more at ease. There were elves in this world too. At least, she wouldn’t be such an oddity. Indeed, no one seemed to give her a passing glance, hurrying around her with things to do and places to be. But, Idelle found herself at a bit of a loss. No one slowed down long enough for her to speak with. She had no idea where anything was, and she didn’t feel like wandering around for hours until she happened upon something useful.

“Don’t you look lost,” a deep voice chuckled behind her. Idelle turned, finding what she assumed to be a member of the city guard watching her amusedly. He motioned for her to come, his kindly eyes drawing her closer. “First time in the city, I expect.”

Idelle could do little but nod.

“You just passin’ through, or are you looking to be an adventurer?”

She frowned, her brow furrowed in confusion. “Adventurer?”

“Aye. You seem capable, lass. If you can handle yourself in a fight, you might think about joinin’ the Adventurer’s Guild. A lotta people around here need help. You could do a lot of good. The pay’s nothing to scoff at either.”

“Where would I go about finding the Adventurer’s Guild?”

“You’re looking for the Drowning Wench. It’s not far—just head straight down this street and speak with Grehfarr. He’ll show you how to work that big moving platform we call the Crow’s Lift, and that’ll take you up to the pub. Once you’re there, look for a fellow by the name of Baderon—he’s the proprietor of the Wench. He might curse like an ale-sodden sailor, but the man’s got a soft spot for wide-eyed newcomers like yourself. He’ll set you straight. Got all that? Good. Now run along, and may the Navigator guide you on your journey.”

“The Navigator? Is that some sort of god?”

The large green man looked at her as though she had grown a second head. “Where exactly are you from, lass?”

Idelle shook her head, a pained expression passing over her features. “I don’t know…”

“What’s your name?”

“Idelle Ralia.”

“Good to meet you, Idelle. My name is Ryssfloh. Now you can say you’ve got a friend. Anyone gives you trouble you can’t handle, just give a holler for me. Whichever Yellowjacket hears you will find me. Now get out of here and find Baderon.”

Idelle did as he bade, following his directions until she found Baderon in the lively space known as the Drowning Wench. Though eccentric, she could feel the warmth that radiated from the innkeep as he told of Limsa Lominsa and the heroes known as the ‘Warriors of Light.’ It was sad to watch his face fall as he tried and failed to remember their names and faces, and Idelle couldn’t help but feel a connection to this stranger. She knew what it was to wish to remember something with all your heart, only to be let down every time. Perhaps her memory loss was related to these ‘Warriors of Light’? Something inside her told her such a connection would be too coincidental.

Her past lay elsewhere.

She listened to his story in enraptured silence, and when he offered a word in her defense against the Yellowjackets, she thanked him in her quiet voice. It seemed the people in this area were on edge with the recent spate of kidnappings. Perhaps that was something she could lend a hand with. She was a gifted mage. If these people needed help, she would give it her best.

After all, what else was she to do? She was without a home, without her memories, and she had nothing but time on her hands. Might as well try being an adventurer. Who knew? Perhaps she could one day be something close to those ‘Warriors of Light,’ who had given their lives to save this land—this land of Eorzea.

It was worth a try at least.


	2. Chapter 2

Masked Eyes

Idelle closed her eyes and allowed herself to sink down into the soft, feathery bed. The sounds of the inn were muffled through the thick wooden walls, nothing more than a distant nuisance. She was alone with her own thoughts, finally, and began drifting off to sleep almost the moment her head hit the pillow. Being an adventurer was certainly no small feat.

Her dreams were plagued with terrible nightmares, leaving her drenched in sweat and nearly screaming when she woke a few hours later. Swinging her legs over the edge of the bed, Idelle held her head in her hands.

She couldn’t recall the faces of those who had been conjured so vividly in her dreams, and neither could she remember the horror they had faced. In the end, all that remained were the echoes of screams and an overwhelming sense of dread that was still making her shake and shiver even after the dream had vanished. She remembered a hand grasped in her own, fingers entwined through her own, squeezing tightly as they faced the nightmare. Idelle looked down at her left hand. Even now, she could feel the other’s touch ghosting along her skin. She traced her fingers gently.

With a shake of her head, Idelle pushed herself up. There was no use dwelling on a dream she could not remember. Nothing ever came of trying to force her memory anyway. Well, nothing more than a headache. So, she stood and got dressed, ready to begin another day.

At first, her adventuring had been limited to odd jobs, fetching different things for people or killing local beasts causing harm for the local populace. By far, her biggest discovery of being an adventure was that people were profoundly and undeniably lazy. Though there were many with legitimate concerns or lacked the strength to deal with the threats themselves, nearly just as many asked her to do mundane or trivial tasks that made Idelle almost want to deny them on the principle alone.

But, she never had the heart. Besides, the pay was good, and the more she had to do, the less she had time to sit and dwell on who she was and where she was from. She had settled into something resembling a routine until just the other day when her path crossed an interesting figure: a young-looking miqo’te by the name of Y’shtola. The strange contraption she wore had captured Idelle’s interest until the sudden interruption of an enraged goobbue.

They had made short work of it, and when the other woman had bid her farewell, Idelle had somehow known they would meet again. What she hadn’t expected were the events to follow.

Her adventuring days had suddenly become less about helping with odd jobs, narrowing instead to a singular focus that occupied most of her time. A man named Severin was now at the forefront of her investigation into the missing abductions. Yet, even as the trail led her closer and closer to him, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was headed down the wrong path. Something else was at work here. It almost felt like everywhere she went, there was a pair of eyes watching her every move.

Like now.

Idelle sat on the grassy slope, eating a delicious crumpet a thankful farmhand had given her, all too aware of the eyes watching her from afar. She gave no indication she sensed the mysterious presence. Wherever they lurked, she would never be able to catch them before they disappeared. So, for now, she would let them watch while she bided her time.

The wind ruffled her white hair, the loose tendrils dancing languidly about her shoulders. Idelle closed her eyes, allowing the warmth of the sun to seep deep into her russet brown skin. For the moment, everything was peaceful. It was a rare thing these days. She wouldn’t let the quiet go to waste.

Of course, the moment she chose to acknowledge the peaceful scene, it was abruptly halted. A shout from the north made her eyes fly open, one of the farmhands coming down the slope from Summerford Farms to get her attention. With a tired sigh, she finished her crumpet quickly and stood. It was good she didn’t talk much. Maybe the man wouldn’t notice her mouth of full of pastry while he was relaying his important information.

He never noticed.

Soon, Idelle was setting off to find Severin, the suspicious man disappearing with a band of his men. Even after spending so much time around Summerford Farms, her sense of direction was still abysmal. After following the wrong trail twice and once even doubling back on her own footsteps, Idelle finally managed to pick up the man’s trail. It wasn’t a trail of prints, but rather a trail of injured men, each one pointing her toward Severin and the trap he had led them to. By the time she found him, Idelle was fuming. Simple treachery wasn’t enough for this man. He would willingly fling his own people into the jaws of danger. He didn’t deserve any mercy.

But, the situation she found was far from what she had pictured. Severin, the same man who dared to betray his benefactor, who had spoken to her with all the haughty air of a man with power, stood there trembling with fright, his voice wavering as he tried to plea with the large ruffian currently laughing in the scared man’s face. Idelle withdrew her spell tome, her fingers sparking with magic. She said not a word as she approached, the leader of whatever men Severin had crossed, looking at her with amusement.

“What’s this, then?” he laughed at her. “She yur bodyguard, huh? How pathetic.”

Idelle remained silent. Severin looked uninjured, but the same couldn’t be said for his remaining ‘friends.’ She would heal them as soon as they were out of danger. The first manner of business was to attend to the leader and his men. 

But, they weren’t alone.

A masked man appeared on the rockface above, his sinister smile felt even as it was hidden from her view. She knew it in that moment. Those eyes boring into her from behind the mask were the same ones that watched her day after day. He spoke to her, but she didn’t hear a word. He radiated power, the essence of which was swirling around her in a dizzying display that made it difficult to focus. She took a cautious step back, still deaf to his words until he raised his arms to conjure. Her attention snapped to the ground where a towering clay golem rose from nothing.

Eyes narrowed, Idelle forced herself to concentrate. She would need every ounce of concentration to defeat this beast and the men that surrounded her. Her fingers hovered over the spell she would cast, the words just beginning to lift off the page when a voice rang out in aid.

“Fancy a bit of help?!”

Idelle smiled as she turned to find Y’shtola racing forward, a small twig of a wand held deftly in her right hand. With a nod, the two women wasted not a moment casting. The battle was the toughest she had yet faced. It left her drained and panting for breath, but the golem was dead, and the masked mage disappeared in a rather unnecessary flourish. But, just as she was beginning to regain her breath, her heart starting to calm, a sharp pain raced through her skull. Her right hand pressed to her temple, her mind was flooded with a sudden vision.

Y’shtola was sitting on the docks, a fond smile on her face as she watched the people going about their daily lives. A soft breeze tickled the ends of her low pigtails. She set her odd visor in place, head tilting back and forth as she saw something unseen through their lenses. At long last, something caught her attention, something in the direction of Woad Whisper Canyon. Y’shtola bounced up from the crate she had been sitting on and hurried off in the direction.

The pain receded and Idelle found herself frozen in place, Y’shtola’s worried face peering up at her as her tail trailed slowly back and forth. Idelle shook her head as the strange tingling sensation began to recede.

“Are you quite all right?” Y’shtola asked, her brow knitted. Idelle nodded in answer, though she seemed unable to convince the other woman. Her mouth opened, ready to ask Y’shtola about the strange vision when her companion began speaking instead. “As much as I love the ambiance of this dreadfully dreary place, I think it might be best to leave any discussions for somewhere a bit safer, wouldn’t you agree?”

Idelle nodded again. She was eager to leave this place behind. The masked mage had set her teeth on edge. Something was wrong about him. The way he moved, the way he emanated magic. It all felt wrong. Before she left, Idelle glanced up at the place where the mage had been. Even now, she could feel his presence, his eyes still upon her even though he was nowhere in sight. 

She shivered though only the warmth of the day surrounded her. There was no point in lingering. She had news to deliver to Staelwyrn. He would be eager to hear all she had uncovered.

From the eerie place to Summerford Farms, the feeling of eyes trailing over her never faded.


	3. Food, Shoes, and Ruminations

Food, Shoes, and Ruminations

The shoes filled her with guilt. Idelle stood alone outside The Drowned Wench, staring sadly at the brand new dress shoes that adorned her feet. Baderon had presented them to her just a few short hours ago, his proud, expecting grin as he handed her the poorly wrapped package firmly ingrained in her mind. It was an awfully sweet gesture. She had nothing appropriate to wear to the Admiral’s banquet, and the idea that he would go out of his way to get her a new pair of dress shoes filled her with warmth. He told her she deserved it. She had done more for Limsa Lominsa than most who called it home. Idelle had shrugged off his praise with a practiced hand and accepted the gift with a kind smile and a gentle nod.

But, the shoes were really, horrendously, ugly.

It wasn’t even as though they were simply too plain to be pleasing to the eye. Rather, it seemed like their maker had gone out of their way to make the most off-putting shoes in the history of their kind. And, of course, Baderon would think to buy them for her.

The Admiral’s banquet started in less than fifteen minutes. Her own shoes were a pair of thigh-high boots that were ripped in several places and covered in dirt, blood, and grime she would never be able to get out. They were even less appropriate than the oddly frilled shoes that were the color of poop.

“Not joining us, then?” the cheerful voice of Y’shtola drifted on the night air.

Idelle turned with a soft smile, her violet eyes falling on the shorter woman as she approached. “I’m coming. I was just thinking.”

Y’shtola nodded, leaning against the metal railing beside her. From their perch they walked people moving along the lower decks and the water rhythmically crashing against the towering stone walls of Limsa. The miqo’te’s white pigtails danced about her shoulders, the soft lights of the city reflecting off the twin clasps in her hair. Green eyes trailed over Limsa with cat-like leisure before settling once again on Idelle.

“I can’t imagine you’ve had much time to rest in these last weeks,” her kind smile set Idelle at ease. “From the way Baderon tells it, you’ve been running to and fro since you arrived. I imagine you’ve earned a fair amount of coin, but you should always take a moment or two for yourself. You’re of no help to anyone if you’re falling down tired.”

Idelle shrugged, gently pushing her white hair behind her right ear. “I don’t much enjoy sleep these days anyway.”

“Something troubles you.”

It wasn’t a question, but rather a blatant observation that caught Idelle off-guard. There would be no point in denying the obvious. Y’shtola was perceptive about the smallest details, that much she had learned from their brief but telling encounters. Besides, though she had met a great deal of people through the months she had been in Limsa, she couldn’t call any of them friends. Even Baderon, for all his fatherly doting, had only spoken to her in brief bursts before he was sending her out somewhere again.

Something told her she could trust Y’shtola. Hopefully, it wasn’t just wishful thinking.

“I keep having the same nightmare,” she finally whispered. Her gaze was downcast, her breathing slow and measured to keep her heart from beating out of her chest as she recalled those dreadful dreams. “I don’t know where I am. I don’t know what’s happening…but, I’m standing in the middle of this raging storm. The wind’s so cold that every lash feels like it’s drawing blood. I care barely see my hand as I reach for something. The wind howls, and, just for a moment, I see a hand reaching for me. But, every time I try to grab hold of it, the ground crumbles out from under me and I tumble through…nothing. There’s no light, no sound. Just this endless sense of despair. And, then, suddenly, I feel like I’m being ripped apart, a blue light enveloping me as I scream in pain…”

Idelle looked up, expecting to find Y’shtola’s attention had wavered out of boredom or disinterest. But, Y’shtola stood there, her right hand folded beneath her chin as green eyes narrowed sharply in concentration.

“This blue light that you mentioned…Is it similar to what you described when you found that crystal?” The miqo’te never looked at her, seemingly too lost in thought to offer even a cursory glance.

“I…Maybe. I think so?”

“Hmm. Well, I’m not sure about the rest of it, but if you’re having the same nightmare every night I doubt very much it’s a dream at all. You still haven’t remembered anything about your past?” Idelle shook her head. “Well, then, I’m certain deciphering this nightmare is the key to finding that out. As for the blue light…”

“Mistress Ralia,” the voice of a guard interrupted whatever Y’shtola had been about to say. Idelle looked up reluctantly, nodding silently to the guard as he told them it was time to join the Admiral and the other guests. Though disappointed their conversation hadn’t finished, Idelle couldn’t deny her heart felt lighter than it had in many moons. Gesturing for her companion to lead the way, the blanketing quiet was suddenly and profoundly shattered by Y’shtola’s cheerful laughter.

“Seven hells, what are those?”

Horrified, Idelle followed her companion’s wide-eyed gaze. She grimaced. “Oh, uh…Baderon bought me dress shoes.”

“Is that what those are? You could’ve fooled me. C’mon, we can stand to be a few minutes late.” Not waiting for an answer, Y’shtola threaded her arm through her own and led her away from the retreating guard and toward the markets instead.

“But, shouldn’t we…?”

“You’ve been doing little but helping everyone around you since your arrival, Idelle. I think the Admiral will forgive us for being a moment or two late because you needed to find something appropriate to wear.”

“But, what about these shoes? Won’t Baderon…?”

A hearty snort, and the miqo’te looked up at her, eyes sparkling with amusement. “You think Baderon will remember what sort of shoes he bought you? We’ll chuck these into the sea and he’ll think he bought you whichever ones you wear back to your room tonight. Now, come on, stop dawdling!”

“Why are you doing this? You don’t have to…”

A deep frown cut a sour look across the miqo’te’s face. “Why ever not? Isn’t this what friends are for?”

Idelle said not a word for the rest of their short jaunt to the bustling markets ahead. A friend. 

She had a friend.


End file.
